Pororari River Track — Attraction in South Island

Explore the spectacular Pororari River Gorge with dramatic limestone cliffs, beech forest and glades of subtropical nīkau palms.

It is one hour walk one way to the swing bridge. It is the newest great walk. This part of the track is only for walkers. There is a good reason why.

The Paparoa Track is New Zealand’s 10th Great Walk.

The Great Walk has been built by DOC on behalf of the NZ Government at the request of the Pike River families. The project was created as a thank you from the families to provide a lasting economic benefit to the West Coast, and as a tribute to those who lost their lives in the coal mining accident.

The Paparoa Range of mountains is comprised of craggy granite, while underlying limestone creates many of the park's most famous and popular features: cliffs, blowholes, canyons, caves, and the whimsical Pancake Rocks. Native New Zealand birds can be found in the park, including tui and kereru (wood pigeons.

A beautiful rainforest walk beside a river with huge rocks set in deep pools which is also part of the Paparoa Track. After about 15 minutes of easy walking there’s a seat with views of the limestone gorge. The track becomes a little steeper as you carry on to where it intersects with the biking section of the Paparoa Track.

Time: 1.5 hours Distance: 7 km

All up 2-3 hours return.

On the trail, saw a goat. He is going be safe here from humans. There are all sorts of hazards if you wander off the track.

Made of porous limestone, there are numerous tomos (vertical shafts), chasms and sink holes that are well hidden...

There's an 8km out and back route or a 17km track, depending on what you want to see and how far you want to go. The 8k route is to the swing bridge, which is what I did. The scenery is beautiful and changing the entire way. Towering rock walls line both sides of the river for a good portion of the track. You can cross the swing bridge and return on the opposite side if you'd like a change of scenes. The south side has a short section that actually drops (via staircase) down into the rocks. One end is pretty narrow. It gets dark at the bottom, but doesn't last long. You can see light from both ends, but it's a good idea to hold the rail regardless. Definitely recommend this place. An added bonus is the cell service you get from the trailhead parking lot. It's the best you'll get anywhere...

We had a three day trekking in the Paparoa National park, we followed the great walk from Punakaiki to Moonlight top hut than we descended through Croesus track. This is a clever way to avoid the expensive taxi service since the track ends in Berrytown, about 16 km from the starting point. The track ranges from subtropical forest to alpine environment always framed by a seaside lookout in the distance. The top part was quite windy. The Croesus track is a bit more challenging in some places but beautiful and well worth the effort. The forest part fills like a fairytale! In this track you can find some good spots to set your tent if...